Typical questions

“Discuss X.”

“A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?”

“Defend or refute X.”

“Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position.”

Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the reading and lecture material you have studied.

Example

Q: Critically consider the sentiment expressed by Brown and Duguid (2000) that contemporary theories of clustering are only “adding footnotes” to Marshall’s original exposition.
A: Thesis: Brown and Duguid are wrong; contemporary theories of clustering DO add significantly to the Marshallian ideas of economic clustering, for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D........ You will need to explain Marshall’s ideas, and explain also why Brown and Duguid do not see any significant development of the original principles and framework. Case studies of contemporary economic clusters might be used here to flesh out your argument.